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Home » Quick Meals » Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

Published: Nov 24, 2019 · Modified: Apr 21, 2020 by Deanna · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

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Buffalo chicken drumsticks on a plate

These air fryer buffalo chicken drumsticks are a great alternative to the usual chicken wing. Ready in less than 30 minutes, they make a perfect meal any night of the week.

Buffalo chicken drumsticks on a plate

We love buffalo chicken in this house and I am always looking for alternatives from the usual chicken wing. Don’t get me wrong. Buffalo chicken wings are amazing, but they are small, they don’t have a lot of meat, and they are better suited for an appetizer or party platter. Buffalo chicken drumsticks, on the other hand, are like the tasty big brother to the wing. They are big, meaty, and a perfect meal.

For this recipe I chose to break out my trusty air fryer. I know I’ve mentioned in a previous post how long I resisted buying one of these appliances. Now that I have one, and have been using it for a while, I honestly don’t know what I did without it.

My air fryer has its own spot right on the counter, it is used so often that I cleared a spot and left it there. What I love about it most is how fast and evenly it cooks. These buffalo chicken drumsticks are perfectly cooked in about half the time as cooking them in the oven, and clean up is so easy.

Buffalo chicken drumsticks on a plate

Because these drumsticks are cooked in under 30 minutes, they make a great meal any night of the week. Sometimes we just serve them with some chopped veggies, but when I want something more substantial I love to serve them with these super creamy instant pot mashed potatoes, or for something lighter, this easy coleslaw.

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER BUFFALO CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Begin by making your seasoning blend and then sprinkle it on the drumsticks and toss to coat.

Place the chicken in as even layer as possible in your air fryer and set to 380 for 25 minutes. I always have a few that overlap, and it’s totally ok, just be sure that you rotate the drumsticks at the half way mark.

Make the sauce while the chicken is cooking.

Once the air fryer is finished, remove the chicken, place it in a large bowl and coat in the sauce.

That’s it! Look how beautiful and crispy those drumsticks are. I love that we can get that crispy skin with absolutely no additional oils or fats.

After you’ve drenched the drumsticks in the spicy hot sauce, serve them with your favourite dip, like this chunky blue cheese dip.

Be sure to provide plenty of napkins, they get a little messy, but they are so worth it.

Buffalo chicken drumsticks on a plate

THINGS TO KNOW & HELPFUL TIPS

  • Can I leave the flour out? Yes, if you would rather leave the flour out you can. You can either increase the cornstarch a bit, or leave it out completely. They won’t be quite as crisp, but they are still delicious. If you need to keep these low carb, you can leave the cornstarch out too.
  • I don’t have an air fryer. If you don’t have an air fryer yet, you can bake these. Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until internal temperature when read with a meat thermometer is 165 degrees.
Buffalo chicken drumstick dipped in blue cheese

OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Buffalo chicken spring rolls

Easy boneless chicken bites

Instant pot rotisserie style chicken

Buffalo chicken drumsticks on a plate

Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

5 from 16 votes
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Course: Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 Drumsticks
Calories: 145kcal
Author: Deanna

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 12 Chicken Drumsticks
  • 1 Tbsp Flour
  • 2 tsp Corn starch
  • 2 tsp Chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp Dried mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
  • Pinch Salt

For the Sauce

  • 3/4 Cup Hot sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Butter
  • 1 Clove Garlic minced

Instructions

  • Mix the flour, corn starch and spices in a small bowl.
  • Add the chicken to a large bowl, then add the seasoning and toss to coat.
  • Place in your air fryer in a single layer (as best you can). Then set to 380 degrees for 25 minutes
  • Half way through the cook time, open the air fryer and turn the drumsticks to help ensure even cooking.
  • While the chicken is cooking, add the hot sauce, butter and garlic to a small sauce pan.
  • Heat just until the butter is melted and the sauce is heated through.
  • When the chicken is finished cooking transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
  • Serve with blue cheese or ranch dip.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 498mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 251IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TastesOfHomemade or tag #tastesofhomemade!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chef Dennis says

    May 24, 2020 at 4:21 am

    5 stars
    Yum! My sons will definitely love this air fryer buffalo chicken drumsticks! Looks really delicious!

    Reply
  2. Leslie says

    May 23, 2020 at 10:32 pm

    5 stars
    I desperately need to get an air fryer so I can make recipes like this! These look incredible!

    Reply
  3. debra says

    May 23, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is my kids dream come true dinner. Pinning to add to the rotation in this weeks menus.

    Reply
  4. Saif says

    May 23, 2020 at 1:41 am

    5 stars
    I love buffalo chicken. I tried using baked oven and deep fry but never in air fryer. I think I will give it a try. Thanks

    Reply
  5. Lathiya says

    May 23, 2020 at 12:35 am

    5 stars
    I love to cook chicken in my air fryer. Will try this recipe too.

    Reply
  6. Maren says

    May 22, 2020 at 11:52 pm

    What a great recipe for the air fryer!

    Reply
  7. Nicole says

    May 22, 2020 at 11:18 pm

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. quick and easy.

    Reply
  8. Sula says

    May 22, 2020 at 7:59 pm

    5 stars
    I still have not pulled the trigger to buy an air fryer, so thank you for including an oven method!

    Reply
  9. Christie Gagnon says

    May 22, 2020 at 7:13 pm

    5 stars
    So good!

    Reply
  10. Marina says

    May 22, 2020 at 4:45 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, chicken drumsticks look so crispy

    Reply
  11. Kathy says

    November 25, 2019 at 2:10 am

    5 stars
    Yum! These look amazing. I love everything Buffalo so I will have to try these!

    Reply
    • Deanna says

      November 25, 2019 at 4:37 pm

      Thank you. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do.

      Reply

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